


Dried Up Veins

by MollyMood (cymba)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Bleak, Coercion, Creepy, Dark, Disturbing Themes, Drugged Sex, Dubious Consent, F/M, Homelessness, Manipulation, Non-Consensual, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Consensual Touching, Nonvember, Obsession, Rape/Non-con Elements, Underage Drug Use, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-07-24 14:49:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16177310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cymba/pseuds/MollyMood
Summary: Rey is a homeless high-school student who's invited up North to a mountain town with her principal and her husband to spend Thanksgiving with their son, Ben.





	1. Arrival

"Eat up, kiddo," said Han, hauling Rey's luggage out the door. "We gotta get a move on."

She grabbed her cereal bowl and drank down the rest of the milk and soggy cheerios, dribbles of milk spilling out of the edges of her mouth down her jaw.

"You are the sloppiest eater I've ever seen," Leia said fondly, looking at Rey through the mirror while she did her makeup.

"'m humngry," Rey said, accidentally spitting drops of food onto the island. "Oops."

"You clean that up before we go," Leia warned, screwing up her mascara as she walked down the hall to her and Han's bedroom.

Rey slid off the stool and took her bowl to the sink to rinse it out. She dipped her face beneath the running water to wash off her mouth and drink right from the faucet, slurping loudly, which Leia hated and immediately yelled at her from her room to stop doing.

"Sorry," she called back, though she wasn't really.

She swiped the arm of her long-sleeve tee over the mess on the island as she hurried past, skidding down the hall to her bedroom to change into the clothes she'd left on her bed.

It wasn't really 'her' room or 'her' bed or 'her' anything, but Leia and Han let Rey sleep over in their guest room whenever she wanted. They _also_ referred to it as Rey's, so she didn't feel bad about taking ownership of it. Hopefully soon, it really  _would_ be hers. She figured if she made a good impression on Ben this weekend, then Han and Leia would adopt her and she could stop living in the youth shelter. She wasn't like any of the other kids there. They all had real problems, like abusive parents and family members who molested them, or drug addict guardians. Rey didn't have any of that. She was just an orphan.

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Han called.

Rey closed her bedroom door and quickly stripped out of her soiled shirt, using it to wipe off the residual milk on her chest. She was okay with being a little dirty, considering there was no way she  _wasn't_ going to take advantage of Ben's hospitality and use his rich people shower. They were going to stay at his place, and he was apparently way wealthier than Leia and Han. Han said Ben had a hot tub in his backyard, and Rey was dying to check it out. Some of the rich kids at her school had hot tubs, but Rey was never invited to their houses, so she didn't know what they were like.

She shoved on the way-too-tight, dark blue polo with frays in the collar, and her ugly, black, mom jeans that were probably from the eighties. Everything she owned was ugly. Leia bought her some clothes, but they were so nice that Rey didn't even want to wear them. Leia said it was all casual attire, but Rey was saving them for a party or a dance or something. She wasn't just going to wear them for no  _reason_. Since they were spending Thanksgiving with Ben, Rey packed them in her suitcase. Thanksgiving was a special occasion, she was pretty sure.

Her phone buzzed on her dresser just as she was bouncing around on one foot, putting on a sock. It was a text from her best friend Rose Tico.

 

**\-- make sure youtext me a pic of ben when you see him**

 

Rey rolled her eyes, putting on her other sock and checking her appearance in the mirror on the dresser. She looked embarrassingly young like this, wearing these stupid clothes and no makeup. She wanted to make a good impression on Ben - kind of needed it - but she looked like an actual twelve year old ... a weirdly tall twelve year old with boobs, boobs that looked a lot bigger than they were since they were being suffocated by her shirt. But at least her hair was soft and healthy looking. Han and Leia bought her shampoo and a toothbrush and other hygiene products for when she stayed over. It was all high-end stuff. Her shampoo was expensive and had the name of something exotic, arabica beans or something. Or argan oil. Something like that. Ben probably knew what that was. He'd appreciate that, she thought.

She texted Rose back on her way out of her room.

 

_\-- gross im not just gonna creep n snap a pic when hes not paying attention. thats weird_

 

"It's about time," said Han, waiting for her at the front door. Leia was already in the driver's seat.

Rey slid her phone in her back pocket and hurried toward Han, rising to the tips of her toes to kiss his cheek before shoving a foot into her shoe.

"Sorry," she said, smiling up at him.

He smiled back, mussing her hair while she did the other foot.

"You sure you have everything?" he asked when she left the house ahead of him.

"Yeppers."

He locked the door. "You used the bathroom?"

"Yeah, before breakfast."

Han tugged on the door to make sure it was locked before walking with her down the porch steps.

"You better be sure 'cause It's a four hour drive and we're not stopping."

Rey nodded, thoughtful. "So if I have to pee, I should just do it in the back, right?"

When Han didn't say anything, Rey glanced back at him to see him watching her with narrowed eyes, muttering quietly to himself.

Rey snorted. "Kidding."

"You watch it," he threatened, pointing at her, but he was trying not to smile.

Han got into the passenger seat, Rey into the back.

"Road trip!" said Leia, plugging her iPhone into the aux cord that Rey recently taught her to use.

Rey buckled herself in while Leia put on _Man! I Feel Like A Woman_ by Shania Twain, cranking the volume. Rey could still hear Han's groan. Leia met her eyes in the rear view, grinning, and Rey grinned back. They sang the first line together, and then Leia put the SUV into drive, and they were off.

"Woohoo!" she said, drumming her fingers on the driving wheel.

When Han tried to change the music, Leia slapped his hand while still singing along, and Rey laughed. She loved them both. She was so lucky to know them. She was so lucky they liked her.

Her phone buzzed against her butt, and she lifted up to check it.

 

**\-- YOURE WEIRD.**

**\-- cmon i wanna kno if hes cuuute**

 

He really wasn't. There was a marine photo of him from a long time ago. His features were all too big, and his face was way too narrow to support them. He was definitely a nerd.

 

_\-- i already sent u a pic of that army photo from mrs organas house_

_\-- big ears n stuff_

_\-- face is kinda crooked_

_\-- he looks a little weird idk_

 

**\-- ok he was like 12 in that one dummy**

**\-- i wanna see a modern version. Modern benjamin solo**

**\-- send the pic or its friends off**

 

\-- _im pretty sure 12 yo boys cant join the army stupid_

 

**\-- send. A. Pho. To**

 

 **\--** _alright ill try u weirdo_

 

**\-- i bet he looks hot af now. Mr solo looked sooo good when he was young**

**\-- they have those superior genes in the solo fam**

 

_\-- uhhhhhmmm i dont like the way ur talking about my (potential adoptive) father_

 

 **\-- omg is that more of a sure thing now?!!!** _  
_

 

_\-- idk maybe. i dont want to get my hopes up but i think thats the whole reason they invited me?_

_\-- i think they want me to meet their kid before they do anything for some reason_

_\-- to like make sure hes okay with it i think. and that hes okay w me_

_\-- idk im scared they're not even thinking about it tbh_

 

Rey watched Leia leaning toward Han, singing at him and insisting he sing along; she watched Han bat her away before joining in even though he hated Shania Twain. Her heart tugged, hopeful.

Her phone buzzed again.

 

**\--  wait but you said you heard them talking on the phone asking someone questions about adoption though?**

 

_\-- that was a while ago :(_

 

Maybe she had no reason to worry, but they'd also never said anything to her about it ... she'd just heard bits and pieces of conversation. Maybe they weren't even talking about her. It wasn't like she was going to ask them.

 

**\-- rey stopp. Youre just making yourself sad for no reason**

**\-- i guarantee theyre gonna ask after this weekend**

**\-- i bet you 5000$$**

 

_\-- ughghghghg i hope so_

_\-- if they dont im just gonna move to cuba or something_

_\-- theres nothing else for me here newayzzz_

 

**\-- bitch ass if yoy leave me here alone im gonna be pissed**

**\-- you***

 

_\-- lol ur welcmoe to come w me_

_\-- abandon ur family_

_\-- lets be homeless in the carribean 2gehret_

_\-- fuck i cant spell at all today god_

 

**\-- i still dont have a passport soooo. No. Even if i did have a passport its still no**

 

_\-- y_

 

**\-- bc thats a horrible plan idiot**

**\-- i gotta go to class. Text me when you get there so i know you made it safely ♥♥♥♥**

**\-- also pics of ben ayyy**

 

_\-- yea ok go learn something for once♥_

 

 _\--_ **how about bite me**

**\-- (love you have fun xoxox ♥♥♥)**

 

 **\--** _B_

_\-- Y_

_\-- E_

_\-- ily 2 ♥♥_

Sighing, Rey rifled through her worn purse to get her headphones. They would do a bad job of blocking out Leia's music, but that was fine. Rey wasn't about to complain. Really, she wasn't going to do anything at all that could potentially ruin her chances of getting adopted. She'd never known her parents, but she thought maybe that was a good thing. If she'd had real parents, she likely wouldn't have the relationship with Han and Leia that she did, and she would rather have them than her biological parents anyway. Those people would probably sell her for parts on the black market. Actually, she was pretty sure they really _did_ sell her when she was a baby. She didn't know them, but she knew she was abandoned at an orphanage like some kind of cliche 'chosen one'.

And maybe she was chosen ... maybe she could be. Maybe Han and Leia wanted her.

They drove on for the better part of the morning, stopping once when Rey and Han had to use the bathroom. Eventually, the highway changed to a narrow two-lane one in the mountains right on the edge of the cliffs, well above where the Autumn fog began. It was the height of the season, so the trees and shrubs that flanked the road had leaves of vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds. They were short enough that Rey could easily see over them to the nearby mountains in the background. It was so beautiful that she had her face nearly pressed to the window, her lips parted and breath fogging up the glass.

Ben lived in a place called Takodana, a small mountain town with a friendly populace and a lot of touristy shops. Leia showed Rey pictures on Google Maps a few weeks ago when she'd invited her. It was surrounded by mountains and trees and waterfalls with a community size of about two thousand people. That part was according to the population sign, but Leia said it was old and there were likely less people now. She also said wild animals wandered around at night, things like bears and mountain lions and cougars, so Rey wasn't allowed to go out past dusk.

She'd never seen a wild animal in real life before, so she was pretty excited. She was coming from the slum part of Jakku, which was  _nothing_ like how Leia depicted Takodana. In Jakku, mistrust was high and everyone was impersonal with one another. Rey had once seen a homeless man being beaten up in the middle of the sidewalk outside her shelter. Not a single person stopped to help him before Rey ran up, squeezing the trigger on her pepper spray before she even had it in the man's face. It wasn't a good community. Most kids dropped out of high school, and Rey was pretty sure she would have done the same had it not been for Leia taking her under her wing.

More than anything, Rey wanted that family dynamic. She wanted to belong somewhere with someone who loved her, with parents and maybe even a sort-of-brother. There really wasn't much she wouldn't do to have it.

They arrived in Takodana just after lunch time. It was a dreary, cold afternoon, the pavement and sidewalks wet from earlier rain. There was a low hanging fog despite the time of day, and Rey couldn't help but feel like she was in the setting of a horror movie. It was so exciting.

She tuned out Han and Leia, who were arguing over the GPS - they were using the vehicle's GPS as well as the one on Han's phone, which utilized different maps, apparently - and looked out the window instead. It was like she'd stepped into a fantasy. The buildings had high-pitched and steeple roofs, signs hanging suspended over doorways, gorgeous lights decorating the triple-lantern light posts. It was oddly clean, too, which was hard not to notice coming from Jakku.

Leia drove slowly while she and Han worked out which way to go. They'd never been up North. Ben came down to Jakku once, but Rey hadn't been as friendly with the Solos at the time, so she hadn't had the chance to meet him. She wished she had. The closer they got to his place, the more nervous she felt. She wished that so much didn't rest on their meeting going well. It made it impossible to relax. She had to keep reminding herself that he looked like a dork. It helped her feel less nervous, for some reason.

"No, Han!" Leia snapped, loudly enough to startle Rey. "I talked to Ben this morning. He said it's downhill, not up."

"Fine," said Han, slumping back in his seat and shutting off his phone. "You just do what you want to do, like always."

"Oh, stop your whining," she said, shoulder checking before making a turn. "If I did what you wanted, we'd never make it anywhere without getting lost."

Han huffed, but didn't say anything else. Rey pressed her lips together to stop her smile, hands squeezing her knees. It was stupid, but she liked when they fought around her. It felt like being a part of the family.

Soon, they were driving away from the shops and down a sloping, wide road flanked by forest on one side and steep cliffs on the other. It passed once over a cement bridge over a river, and then they were driving into a community. The houses were for rich people, no doubt about it. If Rey had any shame about how little of anything she had, she might have felt embarrassed by gawking. But she wasn't ashamed at all. She just wanted to know which one was Ben's so she could explore it.

"Han, dear, which number did I say?"

"Two-oh-five."

"Really?" she said idly. "I thought it was two twenty five."

"Then why did you ask?" he grumbled.

Leia sighed, scanning the house numbers.

When she spoke, it was in a mutter. "Why do I ever?"

Rey took off her seat belt, sliding to the center of the seat and leaning forward to point up ahead.

"It's up there," she said. "Two twenty five."

"Ah, yes," said Leia. "Very good dear."

Han looked at Rey over his shoulder.

"Put on your seat belt."

Rey slid back, doing as she was told. "Sorry."

They got up to house #225 - a veritable modern mansion - and parked in the wide driveway next to a pale blue BMW that was so sleek Rey could immediately tell it cost a fortune.

"Holy shit," she said under her breath.

"Holy shit is right," said Han, winking at her before getting out of the car.

"Here we are, darling," said Leia, shutting off the vehicle, and then pointed ahead through the house's tall ground floor windows, uncovered by hangings. "Look! There's Ben!"

Rey undid her seat belt again, peering between the seats to see a man dressed smartly all in black coming down a flight of stairs. She couldn't see very well from afar, but those were probably rich people clothes. They had to be.

"Come on, Rey, sweetheart," Leia said, smiling back at her before getting out and going to meet Ben

The SUV gate opened behind Rey and she heard Han pulling out their things, but she was too nervous to get out. What was she supposed to say to Ben? How much did he know about her? He obviously knew she was coming, right?

Rey watched as Ben emerged from the house, smiling when he saw Leia, who already had her arms wide open. Ben leaned down - rather far down - to embrace her. Rey's heart skipped a beat. He looked a lot different from the army photo. She couldn't even see his ears. They were hidden behind black, shoulder-length hair, and whatever overlarge features he'd had before ... he'd definitely aged into them.

"You gonna stay in here forever, kid?" Han asked behind her.

Clearing her throat, Rey grabbed her purse and opened the door, sliding out. For a moment, all she did was stand there awkwardly, grabbing her elbow and staring at the loving exchange between Ben and Leia. Her heart was beating a little harder, and she was scared Ben was going to notice how red her face was, so she turned around and went to help Han with the baggage.

"I'll help, I'll help," she said quickly, slinging her purse crosswise over her body and taking her bag from him.

Han laughed. "You think I'm too old to lift these myself?"

"Yeah, you'll probably ... throw out your back or something," she said, teasing, trying desperately to distract herself.

She wanted to ask him for help with Ben, but that would be stupid. What she needed help with was making a good impression so Han and Leia would adopt her, but she couldn't very well tell Han that.

She heard jogging behind her, and she turned just as Ben arrived, taking her bag from her before she even realized he was there.

"You must be Rey," he said, smiling warmly and holding out his hand. "The girl I've heard so much about."

"Uh - yeah," she said, wiping her palm off on her shirt before taking his. "Rey Charognard."

He raised a brow. "Is that French?"

"Apparently," she said, trying to swallow past her dry mouth. "I don't really ... I don't know. I don't know my parents."

She clenched her free hand to a fist. _God_ , _overshare much?_

Ben smiled again, dropping her hand. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Rey." He looked past her to Han, smile growing, and Rey moved out of the way so they could greet each other.

She looked at Leia, who gave her an encouraging smile and beckoned her forward. Rey sighed, relieved, and scurried over, letting Leia wrap her arm around her middle.

"Ben's very excited to get to know you," she said, muted.

It was probably supposed to be encouraging, but it only served to make her all the more nervous. What if she messed it up?

"Come on, dear," said Leia, pulling her toward the house while Han and Ben laughed behind them. "Let's go see what my eldest's been up to in here."


	2. Provocative

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> story earns its rating here, please be mindful of the tags and warnings!!

Rey spent the better part of the afternoon ogling Ben while they all sat talking in his spacious living room. Everyone had wine but Rey. Ben gave her grape juice in a wine glass instead, which was a little embarrassing, but she thanked him graciously. She didn't want to get on his bad side, and not just because she needed him to like her for Han and Leia to adopt her. Somewhere between his attentiveness toward her, the low, comforting timbre of his voice when he laughed, the way he kept his eyes firmly on hers when she answered his questions, nodding and smiling at her, Rey developed a crush. A very big crush, one that she knew would get her in trouble if she didn't tamp down on it immediately.

So she did, reminding herself that he was thirty-two, and she was sixteen, and if everything went according to plan, they'd be sort of related soon. Not to mention he would never like her, given how young she was. It was okay, though. She liked that he was so nice to her anyway.

Some time around 5:30 in the afternoon, Rose texted her with a ton of question marks asking if she was dead since Rey never sent her an arrival text. Rey excused herself, going to the guest room up the stairs that she was going to be using for the five days they were at Ben's. Rey took a shaky video of him instead of a picture, because she figured it was less conspicuous than holding her phone facing right at him, and sent it to Rose when she reached her bedroom.

 

_\-- sorry!! we made it a long time ago. im safe boo_

_\-- also heres ben_

_\-- *Video*_

 

She collapsed on her back with the door open, feet hanging over the edge of the bed and nearly reaching the floor.

Rose texted her back almost immediately.

 

\-- **OMFG GTFO WHO IS HEEEEEE**

**\-- mama like**

 

Rey scoffed, though she definitely agreed. Ben was ... more than attractive.

 

_\-- omg rose hes old_

_\-- hes like 29_

 

She didn't even know why she was lying about it, as though she didn't know his actual age.

 

**\-- under 30? Mama like even more**

 

_\-- ok so bye forever_

 

**\-- lmao im kiddddingggg**

**\-- hes hot tho mm mm. Finger lickin delish**

**\-- btw what did i tell you? I said he would look better now than he did in that army picture**

**\-- bear his children**

 

Rey snort-laughed, swinging her feet.

 

_\-- ur a devil creature n ur ruining my chances of getting into heaven_

 

**\-- AS IF YOU OF ALL PPL WERE GOING TO HEAVEN**

 

_\-- uhhhmmmmmm_

_\-- u suck n r the worst_

_\-- goodbye forever for real this time_

_\-- dont talk to me or my son or my sons son ever again_

 

**\-- im being hailed to dinner anyway so ok bye**

**\-- abandoner**

 

_\-- text you later hater_

 

**\-- kaaaaaayyyy**

 

There was a rapping on the opened door across from her, and Rey abruptly sat up to see Ben standing there with one hand in his pocket. She quickly clicked her phone off.

"Hello, Rey," he said, coming inside.

She shot to her feet, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Hi."

He smiled softly. "Do you like the room?"

"Yeah, it's nice. Nicer than what I'm used to."

He nodded like he knew. "Right. My parents tell me you stay in my old room from time to time."

Rey's cheeks burned, and she looked down. "Uh ... yeah. Sorry."

He let out a breath of a laugh, shaking his head as he came closer.

"No need to apologize. I hope you're making yourself at home in my old bed."

Rey swallowed, her lips parting. She hadn't thought about it. Ben's bed. She was sleeping in Ben's old bed.

"I like your shirt," he said after a moment, his gaze on the collar.

She looked down at it, blunt fingernails digging into her palms.

"I think it makes me look like I'm in sixth grade," she said, looking up just in time to see his eyes snapping up to her face.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," he said, tilting his head back just slightly. "You look very pretty in it."

Rey stared, her words getting stuck in her throat.

Ben didn't seem bothered.

"I got something for you," he said, pulling one fist out of his pocket. "Turn around, please."

Her legs were trembling a little. She quickly did as he said, feeling him come up close at her back.

"Lift your hair for me," he murmured.

A shiver wracked through her body, erupting goosebumps along her neck and shoulders. She held her hair up with one hand, and Ben's arms came in front of her with a shimmering diamond necklace. Rey let out a meek gasp, recoiling away from it, but only managed to bump into Ben. Her shoulders tensed and she stepped forward again, just enough to not be touching him. She stood there, rigid, and let him link the necklace around her throat.

His fingers brushed her skin as he pulled back, taking her shoulders and gently turning her to face him. Rey dropped her hair.

"It looks beautiful on you," he said, reaching out and touching it, balancing his fingers against her sternum.

"You didn't have to get me anything," she blurted. She'd never seen a real diamond in her life. "You don't have to like, buy me expensive things."

He dropped the necklace and put both hands in his pockets.

"Do you like it?"

She hesitated before nodding, and Ben smiled.

"If you're happy with it, then so am I."

Rey's face heated again. She didn't say anything, shifting her weight.

"I'm glad you're here," he said softly, tilting his head. "I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time."

"Me, too," she blurted, trying to impress him.

Ben let out a quiet laugh. "Is that right?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but she was interrupted by Leia and Han appearing at the door.

"Well, we're about to head out," said Leia, smiling at them both. "We'll see you in a few hours, Rey."

Rey blanched. "What? Where are you going?"

"Forgive me," said Ben, glancing at his parents and then back to Rey. "I was about to tell you."

Han answered for him. "Leia wants to you two to bond, so we're headin' out to grab some supper and check out the town, catch a movie."

Leia backhanded him on the chest. "Would you shut up? You're the most tactless man I've ever known."

Rey's heartbeat immediately picked up in her chest. Ben was smiling at her, kind.

"Don't worry, I promise I'm a good cook."

She swallowed, nodding, afraid to tell Leia and Han that she was too nervous to be left alone with Ben.

"Well, great," said Han, squeezing Leia's shoulders. "We'll be back later, maybe around nine. Call Leia if you need anything."

Han left, and Leia smiled and waved, and then Rey was alone with Ben.

"My mother tells me you brought your bathing suit," he said, relaxed. "If you'd like, you can take a dip in the hot tub while I make us some supper."

Rey nodded quickly, eyebrows raised. "Okay, sure. Thanks."

Ben smiled, turning and leaving the room.

* * *

Rey had come down with a towel wrapped around her, her black two piece on beneath it. She was shy for Ben to see her, figured she could climb into the hot tub without him noticing. He was outside at the hot tub, though, the glass sliding door open to the back yard. Rey noticed that all the blinds, which were automatic, beige roller shades, were now covering all the windows that faced the street. The large backyard was enclosed by a tall wood fence. It was very private.

Rey stepped out onto the cement pad, lifting her towel higher under her arm pits. Ben had the sleeves of his sweater and shirt rolled up on one arm, hand in the water to gauge the temperature. Rey stood awkwardly at the door until he straightened, shaking out his hand and coming back toward the house.

"I've had it on and covered for a few hours, so it's about ready," he said, lightly touching her shoulder as he moved around her into the house. "You can hop in now if you want."

Rey made sure he was busy rifling through his fridge for ingredients, and then quickly dropped the towel. She sat on the edge, swinging her legs around, and let her body sink in slowly. She didn't look back at Ben, embarrassed in case he was looking at her and her gangly body. She was too skinny for her age, she knew that. Not that she was trying to impress him or anything.

Ben played music on his phone while he cooked, relaxing classical tones, and Rey easily relaxed against the jets. Delicious smells wafted out of the still open door, making her mouth water. After about thirty minutes, Ben came out with two dishes of cubed steak, stir-fried vegetables, and yellow sticky rice.

"Feel free to start," he said, setting the plates close together. "I'll be right back."

Rey waited, though, wanting him to know how polite she was. When he returned, he was carrying two glasses of wine and had his pants rolled to his knees. For some reason, she hadn't realized he'd be joining her in the hot tub. She sank lower as he sat on the edge, one leg in the water, and handed her the glass.

"Are you sure I can have this?" she asked when she took it.

"Well," he said, slowly submerging his other leg, "it's just us now. As long as you don't tell my parents, I'm sure we'll be fine."

"I won't tell."

Ben smiled, taking a sip and gesturing for her to do the same.

It was ... gross. She'd had beer before, back when she had no reason to want to get into Principal Organa's good graces, but it didn't taste anything like this.

She shivered involuntarily, face scrunching up.

Ben cocked his head. "Something the matter?"

"It's really bitter."

He hummed, taking another sip before setting it down and reaching for his plate.

"Dry wine," he said, as though that explained anything.

Rey didn't really want it anymore, but she was too shy to tell him so. Instead, she plugged her nose and downed it all at once. Ben was chewing his food, but when he saw what she was doing, he let out a breathy laugh through his nose.

"That's one way of doing it," he said, smiling at her when she squeezed her eyes shut, sticking her tongue out with a soft, "Blech."

She set the glass down, sinking into the tub with her chin beneath the water.

"Come," he said, patting the edge. "You should eat first."

Rey took a deep, quiet breath and pulled herself out, water dripping from her arms. She sat on the edge, keeping her posture stiff so that her body didn't have any tummy rolls. It was stupid, but she wanted him to think she had a nice body. He wasn't looking, though. Her heart sank a little.

She was scared to come off as a pig in front of him, so she only ate a little. Since she also had low alcohol tolerance, the wine hit quick and hard. Her body was warm and tingly, her head a little woozy, but she mostly felt nice. She let her legs sway in the tub, and then sank back in, relaxing while Ben ate in silence.

After a few more minutes, he pulled his legs out of the hot tub and got out.

"If you're done, I can bring you inside and adjust your spine for you."

He was a chiropractor; a really good one. Leia told her about it months ago.

"I heard people can get paralyzed that way," said Rey, hands wading in the water.

Ben snorted, pressing a button on the hot tub so it shut off, and bending over to pull his pant legs back down.

"That's only if the chiropractor doesn't know what they're doing," he said, and then held a hand out to her.

She took it, heat building in her chest, and let him help her out.

" _You_ know what you're doing, right?" she said, needing the confirmation.

Ben squeezed her hand before dropping it, gathering their dirty dishes.

"Of course I do," he said, smiling as he lead them to the house. "You're safe with me."

Ben had a chiropractic table in a room on the ground floor of his house. He said he sometimes had clients come over for minor readjustments. He put the dishes in the sink and lead her to the room. It had glass double doors and pale brown carpet.

"Lie down on your stomach for me," he said, gesturing to the table. "Face in the headrest."

Rey stayed where she was, a little tense. She was barely covered at all.

"Do you want me to put some clothes on first?" she asked.

He shook his head. "What you have on is fine."

She tucked her hair behind her ear, walking over to it and climbing on.

"Very good," he said, coming up to her side. "Try to relax for me. Deep breaths."

Rey did as he said, closing her eyes when she felt his hands on her skin. His palms were a little cold on her heated skin, making her shiver.

"I'm checking to see what needs adjusting," he explained, fingertips pressing along the edge of her spine, up to the base of her neck, his touch gentle. "All right, Rey, you're going to take a deep breath in for me," he paused, big hands steady on her upper back as she inhaled. "And exhale."

She did, and he pressed down quickly, her upper spine decompressing with a crack. She moaned into the head rest, hearing Ben's soft laugh behind her as his hands drew careful lines down the length of her spine.

"Good job. Onto your side facing me, please. Take your time."

She rolled over, her body already feeling nice and fluid.

Ben positioned her how he wanted her, crossing her arms and turning her hips toward him, bending the knee of her upper leg. One big hand was only  _barely_ above her ass, fingers splayed as he leaned over her.

"Inhale," he said, waiting until she did, "and breathe out."

She did, and he jerked down onto her with his upper body.

"Oh, my God," she breathed, and Ben laughed again, one hand running down her arm.

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

Rey nodded, blinking softly.

"Other side now."

He did the same to the other side, and then had her lie on her back while he adjusted her neck, nimble fingers holding her skull while he cracked her spine twice, one way and then the other. When it was done, Rey swallowed, eyes closed. She hoped he couldn't smell her arousal. She liked the feeling of his hands all over her. It was a little embarrassing just how much.

"All done," he said, lightly touching her bare shoulders. "How was that?"

She opened her eyes, thighs pressed tightly together.

"I feel way better," she said.

In fact, she felt ... oddly good; very relaxed, at ease.

Ben smiled down at her, hands still on her shoulders, rubbing softly.

"I really like your house," she said, feeling a little more open, suddenly.

Ben started to massage her shoulders.

"Thank you."

She took a deep breath through her nose, sighing it out, feeling a swell of pleasantness through her body. She was so warm, so comfortable.

"I think you're a really great person," she said, stretching out her legs.

She really didn't have any reason to say that about Ben, but she realized right then that he was pretty amazing.

Ben let out a short laugh. "I think you're a great person, too."

Rey grinned, liking that he was smiling back.

"I'm really happy," she said, letting out a little laugh.

Ben moved away from her to her side, taking her hands and helping her sit up, facing him.

"Tell me how you feel."

Rey swallowed, taking another deep breath, sighing it out.

"I don't know ... just ... really good, you know?"

She giggled, a little breathless, lightly shaking her shoulders. Her spine felt so nice, no tension whatsoever. Was this the wine? She felt so good. She felt better than she ever had.

Ben rubbed his thumbs over the backs of her hands, helping her to her feet.

"I hope you're not mad at me, Rey."

"Mad?" she said, unable to comprehend why she would ever be mad at anything in her life. It was pointless. Happiness was so much better. "Of course not! Why would I be mad?"

He tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I put a little something in your wine to help you relax."

"Really?" she said, liking the way his skin felt on hers.

"Mhm."

"What is it?"

Maybe she should have been annoyed about it, but he had to have done it for her benefit. She couldn't be mad at him when she felt like this and he was the reason.

"MDMA."

Rey let out a short laugh, tilting her head. "I don't know what that is."

"It makes you feel happy. You do feel happy, don't you?"

She felt incredible. She nodded, beaming up at him, swaying a little as if dancing.

"Thank you," she said, so grateful to him.

Ben smiled, eyes gliding down her body as she moved, her hands still in his.

"Do you want some music?"

Now that he said it, she really did. Her entire body felt alive, wanted to move.

"Yeah," she said, grinning. "I want to dance."

He smiled, releasing a hand to brush her hair over her shoulder, his touch the most pleasing thing she'd ever felt.

"I know you do," he said, tugging her along. "Come with me."

He took Rey out into the open-concept kitchen, grabbing his phone and tapping on it, still holding her hand. A few seconds later, music came through the whole house, slow beats. God, she  _loved_ music.

"Do you have speakers in your ceiling?" she asked, mouth agape.

Ben chuckled. "I do."

"Wow," she breathed, taking a deep breath through her nose, closing her eyes as she matched the rhythm, swaying her hips. "That's amazing. Your house is amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," he said, letting go of her hand and walking away.

She rolled her body slowly, running her hands over the bare skin of her abdomen. She felt so free. She felt so much like herself.

Ben pulled a chair out from the kitchen table and sat facing her, eyes tracking down her body.

She liked the way he was watching her.

"Will you dance with me?" she asked, sliding her hands up into her hair.

"I'd like to watch you instead, sweetheart. If that's all right with you."

Rey bit her lip, nodding. "Okay."

She closed her eyes, moving to the rhythm, overwhelming bliss coursing through her whole body. She could do anything. Nothing was wrong in the world, nothing at all. Everything was okay. Even if Leia and Han didn't adopt her, she'd still be so okay. Maybe she should just bring it up to them, tell them that she wanted it. There was nothing wrong with her speaking her mind. They could say no, and it wouldn't really matter. She was okay. And  _Ben,_ God, she liked him so much. He was so mature, such an adult. She should tell him how she felt.

She opened her eyes again, seeing him watching her with hooded eyelids, leaning back against the chair.

"Do you want to know a secret?" she asked, slowly turning once.

"What's that?" he asked, voice low.

Rey smiled, swaying. "I have a crush on you."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Do you?"

She nodded, biting her lower lip, smiling. "Is that bad?"

He shook his head. "Not at all."

"You're really handsome," she said, sauntering over to him.

Ben sighed, spreading his legs so she could step between them.

"Thank you, Rey. You're very beautiful."

She touched his shoulders, closing her eyes and tilting her head back, dancing there between his legs.

"You really think so?" she asked.

Ben lifted his hands to her skin, big hands closing around her waist.

"I really do."

Rey breathed deeply. "You wanna know another secret?"

Ben ran his hands up her body, stopping just under the band of her bathing suit.

"Sure."

Rey opened her eyes, wanting to see his reaction.

"I was really turned on when you were adjusting my spine."

Ben clenched his jaw, swallowing. "Were you, sweetheart?"

She nodded, and Ben tugged her closer. He took one thigh and lifted it over his while she braced her hands on his shoulders. He lifted her other leg, too, and pushed her down onto him so she was straddling him.

"Wanna know something else?" she asked, moving her upper body to the music.

He nodded quickly. "Tell me."

"I like it when you call me sweetheart. And I like it when you touch me."

She felt him, then, hardening beneath her, and a thrill rushed through her chest.

"Have you ever been kissed, Rey?" he asked, hands at her back, undoing the string of her bikini.

She giggled. "Yeah, a bunch."

"A bunch?" he said, smiling softly, letting the strings fall open, pulling her swimsuit over her head and dropping it to the floor. "What about," he paused, drawing his hand down the side of her body, over her abdomen, touching the material of her bottoms, "here?"

She shook her head, lifting her hands to his soft, long hair. She loved his hair.

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, opening them again to watch her as his fingers grazed beneath the swimsuit.

"Can I be your first?" he asked, slowly sliding his fingers down, tickling through her coarse hair.

In the back of her head, Rey knew she shouldn't be doing this, knew that she wasn't really level-headed right now, but she couldn't imagine Ben would do anything to hurt her. He was handsome - so much more handsome than she'd even realized when she first saw him - and he wanted to kiss her. She liked kisses. She liked Ben.

"If you want to," she said, returning his soft smile.

Ben hummed, leaning closer, nose to her chest.

"Why don't _you_ ," he paused, broad hands gliding over her thighs, "go and have a seat on the couch for me?"

Rey wrapped her arms around his shoulders instead, leaning closer, looking down at him.

"Come with me," she said, linking her hands behind his head.

He pulled back, eyes lifting to her mouth. "I'll be right there, sweetheart. Don't you worry."

"'Kay," she said, kissing each of his temples before climbing off.

She'd turned and started toward the couch like he'd told her to, but he stood and grabbed her arm, tugging her back. His free hand immediately cupped her face, and he kissed her. Rey smiled and kissed him back immediately, her heart full to bursting. Ben stepped closer, letting out a quiet laugh, kissing her again.

"If I'd known you wanted me this much, I might have thought twice about giving you molly."

That sentence confused her - she didn't know anything about anyone named Molly - but she didn't try deciphering it. She just kissed him back. She wanted to dance with him. She wanted to touch him, for him to touch her. God, touching felt  _so_ nice.

"When are you gonna kiss me?" she asked, not stopping him.

"I am kissing you," he said, walking her backward to the sofa.

The back of her legs bumped into it, causing her to drop to sit on the edge, breaking away from Ben. He was breathing heavily, looking down at her, she up at him.

"I meant everywhere else," she said, running her hand over his clothed abdomen.

Ben's jaw clenched. He swallowed, tenderly touching her face.

"You just relax, sweetheart. I'll bring you water."

She realized then that she was really quite thirsty.

"'Kay," she said, sliding down over the back of the couch, giggling and looking up at him.

Ben touched her calves, staring at her a moment before abruptly leaving to the kitchen. Rey closed her eyes, biting a finger. There was a nice song on, one that was really romantic and slow and sensual.

"I love this song," she said, hearing the faucet run.

"You want me to put it on repeat?"

"I would  _love_ that, Ben," she said, smiling to herself, breathing deeply.

He came back a moment later, setting the glass on the coffee table before grabbing her ankles and spinning her around. She laughed, and he grinned at her.

"Drink up."

He stayed standing right beside her while she chugged the water, her free hand touching his hip.

"Water's amazing, isn't it?" she asked, setting down the empty glass, gazing up at him.

"It is," he said, his hands going to her hair. "Lie back now, sweetheart."

Rey fell back, squeezing her breasts.

"Sorry if my chest is too small," she said as he dropped to his knees on the floor.

He shook his head, quickly undoing the strings of her bikini bottoms.

"You're perfect."

He pulled down the front flap, staring between her legs, touching her hip bones.

"You want me to do this, don't you, Rey?"

She bit her lip, gazing at him. "I want you to do everything you want to do to me."

Ben exhaled sharply, moving his face immediately to the apex of her thighs, his hot tongue sliding through her folds.

She bucked her hips into his mouth, eyes popping open.

"Whoa," she breathed, looking at him. "That feels incredible."

It was like every nerve-ending in her body was activated, more so than usual.

Ben hummed, stroking her legs.

"You taste so good, sweetheart."

Rey slid herself away from him along the couch, giggling at Ben's affronted expression. She rested against the back, letting her legs fall open.

"Come here," she said, touching her breasts again.

Ben laughed softly, tugging himself toward her on the ground and grabbing her thighs. He pulled her knees over his shoulders at the same time he pressed his tongue back between her legs.

Rey drew both hands through his curls, holding him against her, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. She wondered if oral sex always felt like this. She'd never done it before. She was so inexperienced. Ben had probably been with so many girls.

"Tell me what you want," she said, overcome by how much she was willing to give - anything to make him feel as good as she felt.

He groaned into her, his voice vibrating through her folds, making her toes curl.

"Just you," he said, hands wrapping around the base of her thighs, fingers digging into her skin.

Rey hummed, fidgeting a little. It felt so nice, whatever he was doing with his mouth, and she wanted it to last forever.

"I've been thinking about this for so long," he murmured, sucking her clit into his mouth, evoking soft sounds from her. "Ever since my mother showed me what you looked like."

Rey fell heavily back against the couch, her body more relaxed than it had ever been.

"When was that?" she asked, a little breathless.

Ben squeezed her, moving closer, lapping at her. His mouth made loud sucking sounds, his wet tongue wriggling into her slit. She bit her lower lip at the same time he groaned.

"Years ago, sweetheart. I've been keeping an eye on you for years."

Rey dropped her head back, fingers curling against his head. He wanted her; he liked her.

"I like you so much," she admitted, uninhibited, liberated.

Ben swore against her, swiping his tongue from her perineum to her clit, flicking it with his tongue.

"Baby, let's go up to my room, okay?" he said in a rush. "I want to show you other things, but we shouldn't do it out in the open. Just to be safe."

Rey tilted her head down, meeting his dark, eager eyes. She nodded, and Ben licked his lips, jaw clenching. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before carefully taking her legs off his shoulders. She made to stand, but before she could, Ben took her arms and put them around his shoulders, his hands coming under her legs to lift her up against his body.

Rey laughed, nuzzling his face, and his grip on her tightened.

"Am I heavy?" she asked, playing with the ends of his hair as he took them up the flight of stairs.

He pressed a quick kiss to her hair. "No, sweetheart, you're not."

Rey hummed, breathing deeply, and let herself relax completely into Ben.

"I like that you can carry me so easily," she said, eyes closed, face resting on his shoulder. "I feel safe like this."

"Do you?" he murmured, reaching the landing and moving around the railing to his bedroom. The music was even playing on this floor.

"Yeah," she said, pressing her lips to his neck. "I want you to feel safe with me, too."

He chuckled, balancing her on one hand so he could rub her back with the other.

"I do, sweetheart."

His door was cracked open, and he kicked it the rest of the way, making Rey laugh. He kissed her jaw as he walked to her bed, and then dropped her down, her breasts and body bouncing.

Rey stretched her arms above her head, loving the soft feel of his blankets beneath her.

"Are you gonna take my virginity?" she asked, coy.

Ben froze, hands at his belt. "You're a virgin?"

She spread her legs open. "Hopefully not for long."

She'd never been so forward in her life, but she liked being that way now. It was so freeing just saying what she wanted. It was so nice to show someone that she wanted him, to have him want her, too. And if Ben liked her, if she made him like her this way, then Leia and Han would probably be more willing to let her into the family. It was a win-win situation all around, just as long as they didn't find out about this.

Ben hummed, quickly undoing his belt. "You won't be able to come, sweetheart. The drug won't let you."

"That's okay," she said, eyes on his belt as he pulled it through the loops. "You're thirty-two, right?"

"I am." He shucked his sweater, then his shirt. "Are you okay with that?"

She nodded. "Are you okay with me being sixteen?"

He smiled, hands going for the button of his pants.

"I am, sweetheart."

Rey shot up, touching his hands to stop him. He looked down at her as she moved them out of the way, undoing his button and zipper herself. Ben's hands went instead to her hair as she tugged his pants to the ground, going next for his boxers. His erection sprang free, thick and long and hard.

"What do you think?" he asked, hand gliding through her hair.

Rey squeezed it once, kissing the tip, and slid back along the bed.

"I want it in me."

Ben let out a shaky breath, kicking his boxers off the rest of the way as Rey spread herself to him, lying horizontally on his bed.

"Am I enticing?" she asked, because she was trying to be.

Ben crawled onto the mattress and up her body, hovering over her.

"Very," he said roughly, bending to kiss her neck.

He leaned back to his bedside table, getting a bottle of lube. He squeezed it onto his hand, quickly sliding it over his cock, running the rest through her slit, his finger dipping inside.

Rey mewled quietly, and then Ben positioned himself at her entrance and slowly pushed inside.

He was thick, and it stung, but Rey didn't care. She spread her legs further as Ben continued pressing in inch by inch. It really wasn't as bad as she'd heard it would be from friends, maybe because her body was so relaxed. There  _was_ an ache, but more than anything, it felt nice, like her body was made for him. It made it hard to breathe, but in a good way.

"Do you like it?" Ben asked quietly when he was all the way in, hips fitted snugly to hers.

She could feel him so deeply.

"Yeah," she breathed, playing with his hair. "You feel nice inside."

Ben closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to hers, exhaling through his nose.

"You like it when I'm inside you?"

She nodded. "I think I want to do it lots and lots."

Ben kissed her throat, pulling slowly out, a slight burn.

"So do I."

Rey moaned softly, closing her eyes, hands fisting in his hair. He was pressing wet, noisy kisses to her neck, sounds that made her shiver. Her legs fell all the way open, her body so boneless that it was impossible to be tense at all.

Ben moved slowly inside her, long drags out, slow pushes in. Rey kept her eyes closed, one hand in his hair, the other on his neck, lost in the sensation.

"You like me, Rey, don't you?"

She opened her eyes, seeing him watching her, his pupils pushing out the browns of his irises.

"I like you so much," she said, because she did. She didn't know it was possible to like someone this much, so much that her entire body warmed at their touch.

Ben briefly closed his eyes. She heard him swallow, and then his gaze was on hers again, rocking into her.

"Do you want to stay here with me?"

She smiled, sliding her hand down the muscles of his abdomen.

"Is that an option?" she asked, voice pitched slightly at the end when he pushed in a little faster than before.

"I can make it happen," he said, leaning down so his weight was on her without crushing her. "You can come live here, just the two of us."

She would love to live with him. She would love to feel like this with him, always. He pressed in harder, moving faster now, dragging against every inch of her with every slide.

"How does that sound, sweetheart?" he asked, kissing her cheek. "Sound good?"

Rey drew her legs up against his body, nodding, and Ben kissed her softly.

"Yeah?" he asked, lips brushing hers. "You want that, too?"

She moaned, clenching around him over and over.

"Yeah, I want it," she said, closing her eyes, getting lost in the feel of him fucking into her. "I want to stay with you."

Ben groaned, hand sliding down to clutch her thigh, hiking it up as he slowly picked up the pace.

"I want you to stay with me, too, sweetheart," he said, kissing her again, harder this time.

Rey had never felt so good in her life. Ben was making her feel better than ever. She didn't even have to ask him to take care of her like she had to with Leia and Han, he just offered, all on his own. He wanted her around.

"Will you be my family?" she asked.

"Fuck - you want that? You want to be a family with me?"

She nodded, breath picking up, clenching hard around him as he thrust fast in and out.

"Only if you want it, too," she said, because she needed him to be comfortable.

Ben swore again, pounding into her now. "God, Rey. You have no idea ... no idea."

She moaned, lifting her hips to meet his hard thrusts, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to keep him close. Ben pressed closer, kissing her over and over, letting out short, sharp groans.

 _"Fuck,_  Rey - oh, God ... oh, fuck, baby."

Rey rubbed his back, feeling him swell inside her, her body open and welcoming. She wanted it, she wanted him to come inside.

He moaned loud and ragged, hips stuttering into her, his face dropping to her neck. She felt him spilling inside, and she liked what it meant, liked that he liked her so much that she could make him come. His moans morphed into soft, satisfied exhales, still rocking into her over and over.

He lifted up on his elbows and kissed her, his mouth soft and insistent. Rey kissed him back, and Ben brushed her cheek with the backs of her fingers.

"I can't wait until you're sober," he said, pausing to kiss her again, moaning into her mouth, still rolling his hips into hers. "I can't wait to make you come around me -  _God,_ I can't fucking wait."

Rey was excited about that, too. But it didn't really matter. Even just this, being able to give this to Ben, it was enough for her. He wanted her so much. He was so nice to her.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked softly as he relaxed on the bed next to her, face pressed between her breasts.

"Let's just stay like this," he breathed, gently squeezing her breast. "Just for a little while." He gave her nipple a lazy kiss. "Then we'll do whatever you want to do."

Rey smiled, carding her hands through his hair, over the soft, warm skin of his back. She liked that he said that, liked that he wanted her to be happy just as much as she wanted him to be.

They relaxed for a while longer before Ben was gathering her in his arms, rolling onto his back and pulling her on top of him. He touched her everywhere he could, his gaze full of adoration, full of awe. Rey loved the way he looked at her. She told him that, and he let out a quiet laugh, grazing his hands up to her face to cup her jaw, his touches delicate.

She didn't really know him, but she thought he might love her.

"Do you love me?" she asked, because she had no reason to hold anything back.

Ben smiled, blinking softly. "More than anyone. Do you love me?"

Rey smiled, too, leaning forward to prop her hands on the hard swell of his chest. "I think so." She certainly felt like it, like her whole being was maybe made to love him. "You're nicer to me than everyone I've ever met. Thank you for caring about me so much."

Ben sighed, pulling her down onto him, wrapping his arms tight around her.

"I'll give you everything you want, Rey," he said, kissing her forehead, rubbing her back. "Absolutely everything."


End file.
